Durham Mayor Elaine O'Neal among leaders who met with President Biden to discuss women's reproductive rights

Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal was among several leaders from across the country to meet Friday with President Joe Biden to discuss women’s reproductive rights.

O’Neal discussed several ideas, including how men can contribute to the conversation of reproductive freedoms since it takes two partners when it comes to pregnancy, according to a White House-issued transcript of Friday’s meeting.

“I do … believe that it is time for us to talk about the encroachment – or non-encroachment – of reproductive rights for men,” O’Neal said.

On Friday, O’Neal told Biden about how as a sitting judge for 24 years in state court, fairness is very important to her. When the Biden asked how to do that, she talked about medical procedures that men can have that will help them not to contribute to the making of a child.

“I'm here today to try to tell us we must talk about the reproductive freedoms that men have that women do not currently enjoy,” O’Neal said.

Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled abortions in North Carolina are no longer legal after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

U.S. District Judge William Osteen reinstated an unenforced 20-week abortion ban, with exceptions for urgent medical emergencies. He said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade erased the legal foundation for his 2019 ruling that placed an injunction on the 1973 state law.

“You’re going to hear women roar on this issue, and it’s going to be consequential,” Biden said Friday.

With several Republican-led states continuing to ban abortions, Biden said restrictions were "beyond the pale."

Biden and Democrats are trying to harness outrage over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide, in this year's midterm elections.

Biden made the comments at a White House meeting of state and local officials to talk about ways to expand access to abortion and to mark Women's Equality Day.

Friday's meeting also included Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Delaware Chief Deputy Attorney General Alexander Mackler and more.